YEMEN: HUNT OIL SHOOTINGS - MARCH 19 UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000520

SIPDIS

TERREP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2010
TAGS: PTER ASEC CASC YM
SUBJECT: YEMEN: HUNT OIL SHOOTINGS - MARCH 19 UPDATE

REF: SANAA 511

Classified By: AMB: EJHULL FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Following the March 18 shooting in Marib of four Hunt
Oil employees (reftel),our consular section has been in
touch with the family of deceased Amcit Ron Horsch in the
U.S. and is assisting in arrangements for shipment of remains
from Yemen tonight via Frankfurt. Mark Edwards, the Canadian
wounded in the shooting, had successful surgery in Sanaa and
was medevaced from Yemen by air through arrangements made by
Hunt.


2. (C) Investigation of the shooting by Naji Ahmed Al-Kumaym
is continuing. Embassy team, including FBI local
representative, an OSI investigator, and RSO staff have
received information from Yemeni police sources and are
presently at the Marib site where they will be examining the
crime scene and interviewing eye witnesses and others in the
coming hours before returning to Sanaa tonight.


3. (C) According to a Hunt Oil source, Al-Kumaym had been
released as an employee by Nabors three times since 1992. He
is said to have had family problems, not to have been
religiously observant or extremist, and reportedly was on
medications, with medications having been found in his room.
Yemeni police told our investigators that Al-Kumaym had been
an employee of Nabors for seven years in good standing, as a
carpenter, and that he was well known by Hunt employees
including his victims. The police added that Al-Kumaym had
seen a doctor three days ago, and had been having sleeping
problems and problems with his family; the police also said
Al-Kumaym was not religious and was not known to speak of
politics. The police confirmed that the attack weapon was a
handgun of Russian manufacture, not, as some press reports
have said, an AK-47.


4. (C) A Hunt official told us that operations in Yemen are
under review in the light of regional circumstances, and that
dependents are to be evacuated. RSO is providing requested
advice and assistance in obtaining metal detectors and
security equipment.


5. (C) Comment: Until investigators have interviewed
witnesses at the site, it remains premature to reach any
conclusion regarding possible motives behind these shootings.
We expect to know more by tomorrow.
HULL